Kenzi Bougafer Tinerhir

... on whether the windows should be open or closed. Some people are too cold, others hate staring out the plastic smudged windows and others are just trying to gain a group consensus before doing anything. There might be an all out brawl soon enough over empty water bottles. I’m keeping my mouth shut and hoping all of this will eventually sort itself out but that seems to be unlikely. I’m just going to keep my stuff in its cubby and out of everyone’s way and hope all goes well.

... br>

At the top of the saddle we observed a family of nomads that set out a temporary hut. It appears that they sleep underground. There were small excavated caves that look like they are their sleeping quarters. The hardest thing about their existence was the lack of water. They would have to haul all the water in from the valley below.



By the afternoon the rain had well and truly set in for the day as we travel to the movie set at Ait-Ben-Haddur ...

... to conquor, the ancient village of Volubilis. We had a tour around but after seeing so many ruins, i wasnt so impressed. I think that once you have seen one you have seen them all. Its not that i dont think they are amazing, but i think they are all blending together and mashing up in my head. And it was hot. And i couldnt stop thinking about lunch. It was fun. we got into Fes and the campsite a little after 6pm, and set up in the only spot that would fit the group - which involved ...

Attention, attention... It is now official. I have conquered the rockface at Todra Gorge. Forty-five metres of sheer cliff, with nothing but a harness, some rope, and a guy named Aziz standing between myself and certain death. It was great. I'd been climbing in Todra once before, after I'd already been hiking for four hours and wasn't particularly fresh. I tried two courses, got halfway through each one, and decided that ...

Woke up in the tent to a cold fresh morning in the desert, then it was back to the (cold) hotel for a (cold) shower and breakfast in the (cold) dining room. I just had a piece of bread, was too scared to eat anything else. Was glad to leave the hotel. As I said, in the warmer months it would be delightful but in December it was just miserable. Day 8 of the tour and the two ladies were still without their luggage. Brilliant sunshine again ...

... of them asked us for 10dh. The views were sweet once we got up high as there was an oasis below us (well a palmery actually). We got to the town and immediately skulled as much cold water as we could. The gorge is dotted with these green palmeries where pomegranits and palm trees grow. Inside most of these are ruined Kasbahs. Makes for some great pictures. When we were finished hiking we decided it would be cheaper to catch a ...

... being Mohammed VI who claims to be a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed; there's a king's palace in virtually every city in the country. There is also an elected government. Morocco faces massive challenges: 20% unemployment, an illiteracy rate of 60% (as a result many signs are pictograms), mass exodus of rural poor to the cities and rampant environmental degradation. Improvements in roads, sanitation and housing, as well as electrification of ...

... very short on dirhams and when I showed him my poultry handful of change, he didn't want a tip and I even managed to persuade him that I didn't need the services of his "brother" as a guide in the medina. When we went to Fes city, we had what can only be described as a less than successful day. We walked to town (6km) hoping to find a bank and change some travellers cheques en route. No banks would do this - only other cash exchange (which we didn't have with us; nor did we take our ...